Allyson

Wyoming State Report Journal Day 1 Dear Journal, This morning at about 9:15 am I arrived at the Governor’s Mansion in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I saw the old furnishings and old artifacts from way back when, and read the podiums with information about each spot I went to in the mansion. I also saw where Nellie Tayloe Ross gave her first speech when she was first elected for the governor of Wyoming. She had changed history when she was elected, so her first speech was very important. Then, I finished looking around in the museum, so I went to the Lakeview Cemetery for the next event that was planned for the day.

I got there at about 11:17 am and grabbed my lunch. Then I gave myself a guided tour in the cemetery while eating my lunch. While I was wandering around in the cemetery that day, I got lucky and found Nellie Tayloe Ross’ grave, it was a magnificent grave made out of marble! It was a pretty grave marker. Also, I saw this kid’s grave marker and it made me really sad! He had saved an infant in a burning building, but he got such bad burns from saving the infant that he died in the local hospital that day after he had just gotten there. That was a sad but interesting adventure in the cemetery.

Later that day at about 1:23 pm I got to Cheyenne Frontier Days. What a blast I had there! I saw a whole bunch of cowboys ride the most dangerous bucking broncos in the world! I also met some good people there, and later, after the dangerous event, (For the cowboys that is!) we all went out to Albany’s Bar. I had a big, juicy, bison burger. It was delish! That was how my awesome, sad, and interesting day went.

Wyoming State Report Journal Day 2 Dear Journal,

I had the feeling that it was going to be an interesting day today, and it was. First, I went to Fort Laramie National Historic Site in, of course, Fort Laramie. I saw the very first garrisoned post in Wyoming. It was a confusing interesting sight. I also went down and sat right by the North Platte and Laramie Rivers where they cross. It was like a traffic jam for river fish and creatures! All of a sudden, one of the fish was so desperate to just keep on its journey down the river that it jumped in the air over the crossing! Pretty weird, huh? I was also busy at the crossing staring in the water because it was so clear! You could see the fish and water life just trying to get through! Then, I went on three short hikes on the Oregon, Mormon, and Californian trails. I got lucky again because I found a baby turtle straggling off of the path to the river. I helped the turtle. Luckily, I was there to help it or a hawk would have probably eaten it. (That particular hike I had gone on was near the river.) I finally finished the hikes and set off toward my next destination.

Next, I went to the University of Wyoming. Basically all I did there was walk around and observe because I have to say, it was pretty boring. I bought lunch and a sweatshirt though. You have to give me credit for that. Although, the lunch was pretty good. Next, I watched a chemistry class. It looked pretty confusing if you asked me. Then, I was suddenly done at the university because it got pretty boring, I mean, who on Earth would want to stay there for a couple years of their life. Don’t get me wrong; it is a good school, but its just soooooooo boring.

As soon as I left that boring waste of time I went to Ivinson Mansion. It was definitely not boring there, let me tell you. I mean for goodness sakes, there’s a total of twenty-three whole rooms to explore there with cool artifacts. There were also a whole bunch of cool displays. It was built in 1892, but I bet there are a lot of secrets that lay hidden in that mansion. Ivinson Mansion is one of the finest historical homes in the United States though, so that was pretty cool to learn. Ivinson Mansion is Victorian Queen Anne Style. That mansion was amazing! I loved it; I hope I can go there again someday! That was my creepishly interesting day.

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 3 Today my day started out by going to Casper College. (In Casper of course, one of the biggest cities in the state.) I went to Casper College of course, first. Then, I gave myself a little tour of the museum they have in the college. It was a spectacular museum. The museum’s name is called the “Tate Geological Museum.” Then, I met a nice guy and he gave me a tour of the whole entire college. (Not including the museum though because I already went there obviously.) I also got a red sweatshirt with white block letters that says “Casper College” on the front. (I got little souvenirs from the colleges so I can remember them, and then maybe later in life I could go to those colleges.) I especially got a sweatshirt from there though because it has one of the lowest tuition rates. (Ha ha ha!) Then, I picked up lunch at Subway, and went over to the Casper Planetarium. At subway I got a six-inch bacon, tomato, green pepper, cucumber, American cheese, and that’s it. Anyway, I got to Casper Planetarium shortly after that. (The time was about noon when I got there.) The next thing I knew I was at the Casper Planetarium. When I went in the building one of the first things I saw in the center of the big lobby was the Spitz Star Machine. Apparently, according to the sign it has been there since 1966. (It was there when the place first opened up.) After, I gave myself a little tour of the Planetarium, and I attended a little presentation about stars. It was pretty neat. I learned that Blue-White stars are 36000 degrees Fahrenheit, and sometimes their temperatures can be higher! It’s the hottest star. The second hottest star is White and its temperature is around 20000 degrees Fahrenheit. The third hottest star is Yellow-White and its temperature is around 11000 degrees Fahrenheit. The fourth hottest star is orange. Its temperature reaches 7500 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest star is Red. It reaches 5500 degrees Fahrenheit, and these are some interesting facts about stars. When I finished looking around the museum I went to Independence Rock. I got to Independence Rock at around 2:40 pm. This monument is one hundred thirty feet high. It’s made of pure granite stone too, so I imagine that it weighs, like, a ton. It’s a newer National Historic Site, so not so many people have been tromping around there. It is near the Sweetwater River, so after I visited Independence Rock I went there. I found a nice little beach and I waded in the water for a while. It was interesting because the water was pretty clear, so I could see the fish and other sea animals under the water. It was cool. I also walked on the beach for a while. It’s a nice river and it has a nice beach, so I ended my day on the perfect note.

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 4 For the first half of my day I went to Keyhole Reservoir. It’s just off of Belle Fourche River, the lowest point in my state. For about the first two and a half hours of my day I went fishing. I caught a lot of fish. I would say I caught about one hundred and fifty fish. (At the highest of course! (I was not exactly counting.)) Then, after that, (It was about 11:30 then.) I got out my picnic lunch. I went to the little patch of clear shore in the woods I found when I was looking for a spot to fish. So, I finally got there after looking around a while and I ate my lunch on the lake. I think it was one of the most peaceful and quietest lunches I’ve ever had. After my lunch I drove to the Antique Craft Mall. (In my own little world I can drive.)

When I got to the Antique Craft Mall I quickly got out of my car and walked in. I was immediately overcome with scents of candles and new items to buy. They sell dozens of unique items. I was instantly drawn toward the jewelry section. I got a pair of diamond stud earrings and a matching necklace. They’re beautiful! I also looked at the furniture section. There were nice pieces of furniture, but none of it matched my house, so I didn’t get any furniture. I also got some presents at the mall. For my Mom, I got an exquisite, stunning necklace, for my Dad I got an elk painting, and for my Brother I got a fleece elk blanket. Aren’t I nice? I think about my family when I’m on **__ my __** trip. I browsed around a little more in the mall and then I went to Forget Me Not Floral & Gift.

I got to Forget Me Not Floral & Gift at 3:00 pm. I was promptly drawn toward the Indian Paintbrush, Wyoming’s state flower. I was overwhelmed with the smell of fresh flowers. Especially lilacs. I talked to the clerk too. She said that they imported all of their flowers fresh, and I believe it. They had dozens and dozens of divine flowers. I got a bouquet of different flowers, and separately I got some Indian Paintbrush and lilac. They smell phenomenal. One of the best parts was that I didn’t waste a lot of gas and time getting there because it’s only 0.75 miles away from the Antique Craft Mall. That was great because I don’t like to waste my time in the car. I had a lot of fun with the flower shop.


 * I had a blast today. **

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 5 The next city I went to was Kaycee, Wyoming. It has a population of two hundred sixty. Small population right? I know. Anyway, the first place I went to was the Cassidy Inn. The Cassidy Inn is a hotel. (Obviously!) So, I went to check the place out to see what it was like. Surprisingly, (for such a small town) the rooms feature microwaves, refrigerators, and coffeemakers. Pets are allowed for a five-dollar night fee! It was truly astonishing! I mean really, what hotel would allow pets? After that shocking surprise I went to the Kaycee Chamber of Commerce.

I got to the Kaycee Chamber of Commerce at about 11:00 am. When I got there I learned all about the small town. The population is 249, and in this city there are only 150 kids kindergarten-12th grade in all. The people there have a non-existent crime rate too. It was pretty interesting learning about the small town’s history and present times at the Chamber of Commerce. It was also pretty interesting that two of the most famous outlaws lived there. The outlaws were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. They even had their own secret hideout there. Their secret hideout is called the Hole –in-the-Wall. I’m going there later when I go to the Hoofprints of the Past Museum. I had a fine time learning about the small town, but that doesn’t mean I’d want to live there because it’s too small of a town.

The next place I went to was the Hoofprints of the Past Museum. We got to take a tour of Johnson County. One of the first things I saw was the Hole-in-the-Wall. The hideout is pretty concealed. I saw gorgeous scenery on the tour too. It’s full of pretty red rock and stunning plants. Even though it’s old west style, it’s still beautiful. (If you’re not a Miss Prissy.) I saw quite a bit of wildlife too. I saw wolves, bobcats, elk, hawks, and eagles, but I wish I saw a bear! Bears are pretty neat. By the time I finished my tour I was exhausted. It was time to say goodbye and go back, so I headed back.

Today’s day was absolutely amazing!

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 6 The first place I went to today was Gannett Peak, the highest point in the state of Wyoming. I went on a hike. The views and wildlife were breathtaking! I saw beautiful birds, wolves, mountain lions, a moose, and a bear! I was afraid of the bear and moose though because moose can trample you and bears can take you down even better than a sumo wrestler, so I stayed a long ways away from those creatures. I also stayed at a safe distance from the wolves. When I got to the top I was amazed at the view! There’s a picture at the bottom to describe it. I saw deer too. Although, the deer ran away when they heard me coming, they were fascinating type of deer. When I hiked back down the mountain I saw a whole bunch of squirrels. Some of the squirrels ran right past my feet! I wish I got a picture of one, but they are too fast. The next place I went to was the Snow King Scenic Chairlift.

When I got to the Snow King Scenic Chairlift I rode all the way up to the top with a cute little girl. The little girl couldn’t go with her parents on the chairlift because only two people can go on at the same time, so I volunteered to go with her because I was headed up there too. I was really glad that there were double safety bars to secure you because I really wasn’t in the mood to fall down 7,751 feet. That elevation was near the end of the ride, but still. You rise to that elevation from 6,180 feet in just twenty minutes. I was kind of scared at first because it was really high, but the little girl kept talking, so it didn’t bother me as much. (The height, I mean.) The next thing I went to was the Mad River Float Trip.

When I got to the loading dock for the trip the lady at the desk in the small building next to the dock gave me a wetsuit and said to change up quick because apparently you get soaked to the bone, so I quickly got suited up. Then, I headed down to the dock. When I got to the dock there was a small boat and this girl was in it. She said that she was going to be my guide. Thank goodness for that because otherwise, I probably would’ve killed myself. We started out going slow and I saw a whole bunch of fish and deer. Eventually I thought I saw a bear, but we were going so fast I couldn’t see because water was whipping in my face. When we were through with the trip I was full of exhilaration. She asked me if I had fun and if it was like any other ride I’ve been on, and I said it wasn’t like any other ride and that I had a blast, which I did. Next I peeled off the wetsuit and put on my clothes in the bathroom and paid. Even though the cost was like, ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS, the money was still worth it.

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 7 Today’s day started out with going to Grand Teton National Park. When I got to the park I was immediately interested in going canoeing on the river because I’ve gone canoeing before and it was really fun. So, when I went to get the canoe it turned out that there were kayaks too. I decided to take a kayak because, as you know, I have no one on this trip with me. The lady asked, “So you’ll be taking a kayak?” I reply, “Yes.” Then she says, “That will be one hundred and fifty dollars please.” I say, “That much, really?” “Yep.” “Boy this is expensive, good I’m using my credit card.” “You can’t use a credit card, cash only.” “Oh my gosh, I don’t have that much in cash!” “The canoes are less expensive.” “Then I’ll take a canoe.’ “Okay, fifty dollars please.” After that mix-up I got into the canoe hoping that I’d be strong enough to handle the river current on my own, I thought. I dragged my canoe down to the shallow part of the river and plopped in the canoe. I started only to find out I forgot the oar, so I paddled back with my hands and grabbed an oar. Then, I paddled down the river and into Jenny Lake. After, I got done touring Jenny Lake with the canoe I decided to be done with this because it was kind of boring by myself.

The next event in my day was Inspiration Point. This point has a spectacular view to the Lower Falls. Inspiration Point’s landscape is universally made up of volcanic rock. Over time erosion caused Inspiration Point to move fifteen miles into the Northeast corner of the park. I thought Inspiration Point was amazing. You look a little far away and you see the waterfall. You look down and you see that you are breathtakingly high compared to the canyon with the river in it far below you. You look up and you see a clear blue sky. I thought Inspiration Point was definitely worth the time to go see.

Then I went to the Osprey Snake River Float Trip. When I got there after driving 10.15 miles I went to the loading docks to get in the boat. It was a very peaceful trip with my tour guide. The trip was made peaceful by going slowly down the river, and seeing breathtakingly beautiful wildlife. During the trip we saw birds, deer, fish, (the water was really clear), freshwater turtles, squirrels, a wolf, a bear, and a couple more animals that I can’t remember. I also saw the mountains. They were absolutely dazzling! When we got through with our trip we went back to the loading dock. I said thank you for taking me on that trip and then I paid. When I walked back to my Ford Hybrid Escape I found a one hundred dollar bill on the ground! I was really happy because I gained some money, but I felt bad for the person who lost the money. They would be out one hundred dollars, and to me, that’s quite a bit of money. The good thing was, was that I didn’t know who’s it was so I couldn’t return it. Although, I have to say, I was pretty lucky. After, I went back to the campsite I checked out near Moose.

When I got back I ate a dinner of soup over the fire, then, I went to bed. My day was absolutely spectacular!

Ally- Wyoming State Report Journal Day 8 Today started out with going to the Old Faithful Geyser. Old Faithful Geyser erupts 18-20 times a day. After about 15-20 seconds it can reach a height of 184 feet, and about 20 seconds after that the water column lowers rapidly. When I saw Old Faithful Geyser erupt it was pretty cool. I was afraid though because since the water is going so high I thought the water would rain on me and burn me. When it was erupting there was this girl screaming her face off, it was annoying. She’s just like, “Oh My Gosh! This is the coolest thing I’ve seen so far in this boring national park.” There is a picture of it erupting on the bottom of the page.

The next place I went to in Yellowstone was Yellowstone Canyon. The Yellowstone Canyon was carved out of the Yellowstone River. In fact, the river still carves its path. The canyon reaches a depth of 1,540 feet. This scenic sight is only a little ways down river from Artist’s Point. (Another one of the places to see the waterfall and canyon.) It was really cool because it was so far down into the canyon, and it was exhilarating. There is a picture of the deep canyon on the bottom of the page.

The next place I went to in Yellowstone National Park was the Yellowstone Lake. This lake is America’s largest mountain lake at such a high altitude. The altitude is 7,733 feet. This lake is 20 miles long and 14 miles wide. The shoreline is an excess of 100 miles. The average depth is 137 feet and the deepest depth is 320 feet. When I went to the lake I was overcome by how beautiful it was. The water was crystal clear. I spent the afternoon at that lake reading the third Hunger Games book. In that afternoon I finished my book. It was really good. I stayed at the lake until 5:00pm. That event was the perfect event to end my trip on. There is a picture of the stunning lake at the bottom of the page.

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